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The Magi gave to baby Jesus gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh. Those gifts fulfilled a prophecy found in Isaiah 60:6, and also communicated symbolic meaning. Gold in the ancient Middle East was associated with “noble purposes,” as well as “immense worth and indestructibility.” Incense was an element of worship, and “from the revelations of…

No one knows for sure who the Magi were that brought gifts to the baby Jesus, or exactly what their country of origin was. Matthew simply says they came “from the east,” first going to Jerusalem and then on to Bethlehem. Still, scholars generally believe these “wise men” likely came from one of three places…

What was the “star in the east” that the Magi saw? Only God knows for sure, but that hasn’t stopped scholars and devotees from speculating. Here are two theories: It was an angel. Elsewhere in Scripture, angels are described as beings of light (Acts 12:7; 2 Corinthians 11:14). Thus some think the “star in the…

When Mary became pregnant with Jesus, she was “betrothed” to Joseph. Betrothal (in Hebrew, kiddushin) at that time was somewhat similar to our modern-day “engagement,” with a few significant exceptions. First, girls as young as twelve and boys as young as thirteen were considered old enough for betrothal and marriage. More importantly, this kind of…
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